Attritable Turbine for Low-Cost Attack Systems (ATLAS)

SBIR topic DON27BZ02-NV023 (U.S. Department of Defense – Navy), Phase I and II. Open to U.S. small businesses. Opens: December 2, 2026. Closes: January 6, 2027. The Department of War has an increasing need for affordable, reliable, and rapidly producible propulsion systems to support the proliferation of attritable Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), loitering munitions, and stand-off strike weapons. Current small turbofan and turbojet engines in the 150-300 pounds of thrust (lbf) class often rely on traditional aerospace material and manufacturing processes, resulting in high unit costs and long supply chain lead times. These factors are prohibitive for systems intended to be employed in mass or as expendable assets. This SBIR topic seeks innovative engineering and manufacturing approaches to design a turbofan engine that meets the thrust requirements while dramatically lowering cost per unit. Proposers should consider advanced design and manufacturing techniques to produce a low-cost engine that can leverage existing industrial base capacity to reduce risk to procurement supply chains. Key technologies and design features to consider are: • Additive Manufacturing: Utilizing Powder Bed Fusion, Directed Energy Deposition and Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) to consolidate part count and simplify construction. • Industrial (Non-Aerospace) Production Capacity: Leverage non-traditional aerospace manufacturing firms to reduce cost. Consider leveraging materials, casting and production techniques found in the automotive sector. Demonstrate a manufacturing pathway that enables rapid scaling and reduces supply chain bottlenecks. • Short Life/Expendable Components: Utilizing non-traditional lubrication systems, bearings and electronic sub-components to limit cost. • Optimized Materials: Utilize cost-effective materials suited for limited-life/single-use engine operations rather than traditional high-lifecycle aviation materials, where appropriate. Performance metrics…